“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
The quote above – often incorrectly attributed to Albert Einstein (it was actually coined by a mystery novelist in the 1980s), and not the actual definition of insanity – is often used to describe scenarios where we embark upon a course of action, do not learn from our failings, and repeat the same mistakes on repeated occasions.
It is particularly applicable to a number of different fields, and the world of dog training is no different. If we try to teach our dog a new skill using Method A, and they are unable to grasp it after repeated attempts, then continuing to use Method A is likely futile. Simply trying Method A over and over again is unlikely to work – we have to adapt and try Method B or Method C to obtain the results we desire. Dog training is all about problem solving; problem-solvers don’t solve problems with only one approach.
All of which brings us to this article. There is a lot of information on the Internet about a lot of things, and again, dog training is no different. Some dog trainers will tell you that consistency and practice are the key to making progress with your dog – yet ‘consistency’ and ‘practice’ could actually aggravate a difficult situation and make it worse. The step before consistency is most important – otherwise you end up with a situation where you are practising the wrong thing.
What is training? What is practice? Why does it matter?
The difference between training and practice isn’t simply semantic – they are not the same thing.
Training is where you learn what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and how to get better at it.
Practice is where you put what you have learned in training to the test. You work on all of the things that you have been trained to do. You learn what works – and what doesn’t – and then go back to the training phase to learn how to improve.
The practice phase is where the myth of consistency by itself can pervade. If you don’t have a training phase – or even worse, if your training phase actually teaches you information that is incorrect – then it doesn’t matter how consistent you are. If you’re doing something wrong consistently, well, it stands to reason that you won’t make progress and it will actually be harder to unpick the problems further down the line.
Let’s put dogs to one side for a second, and let’s imagine you are trying to complete your first half-marathon. You may be an occasional runner who has read a couple of things on the Internet – perhaps watched a few YouTube videos or spent a few minutes scrolling through a couple of social media posts. Then, you go out for your first few runs. It may go well; it may not. You may feel good about it; you may not. You may get injured; you may not. After some time, however, your progress would inevitably stall, because despite the fact that you are being consistent and practising for your half-marathon, you are more than likely being consistent and practising in a sub-optimal way. You are not training for your half-marathon. Training is having a defined plan, perhaps working with a long-distance running coach, and taking in expertise from those with experience and qualifications.
This is why the difference between training and practice matters when it comes to our dogs. Practising the wrong thing consistently can reinforce problematic behaviors in pet dogs, even if it is completely unintentional. Socialization should be systematic, not just “get your dog out there” because it can exacerbate underlying behavioral issues. In working dogs, regular unproductive practice can stall progress, or even cause your dog to regress or become ineffective.
Bad training is just as harmful as bad practice
So far in this article, we’re assuming that the training phase is being led by an expert who will make your practice better. That is, of course, not always the case. And bad training can be just as harmful as bad practice, because then you actually believe you are on the right path when you are, in fact, moving in the wrong direction.
It is worth remembering that dog training is an unregulated industry, and this means there are no official barriers to entry and no shortage of pop-up trainers who are more than willing to offer their opinion on any given training issue. As a dog owner, if you have training goals that you are looking to achieve with your dog, it is pivotal to speak with several trainers before making your choice. You should not only evaluate the typical things you would evaluate from anyone providing a professional service (credentials, reviews, experience, etc.), but you should also detail your specific goals and ensure the dog trainer’s philosophy is aligned with yours. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – remember, you are going to be entrusting this trainer with your dog. If they’re a problem-solver (as all good dog trainers are), you should finish the conversation feeling more confident that they are the right person to help you.
What good dog training looks like
Good training leads to good practice, and ensures that you are consistently practising in a way that moves you closer to achieving your goals. There are a few points to highlight about what good dog training actually looks like:
- Good dog training is underpinned by a plan. Your dog is currently at Point A. You want your dog to get to Point B, where you can see the transformation in their behavior or improvement in their skills. Your trainer should provide you with a detailed plan of how your dog will get from Point A to Point B.
- Good dog training is sustainable. Your dog is a 10-15 year investment of your time, energy, money, and effort. You don’t want results that will only last a couple of weeks – you need results that will benefit your dog for the rest of their life.
- Good dog training is flexible. Every dog is an individual, and every dog learns differently – at different speeds and in different ways. It is important to reevaluate your plan at regular intervals to ensure that your practice is still helping you to move in the right direction.
In conclusion
There is no single, correct way to train dogs. There are too many variables – both in what we’re training (behavior modification is different to obedience; therapy dogs are different to detection dogs; and so on), and in how our dogs learn. It would be impossible to define training that would cover every scenario and eventuality.
However, what we can define is a blueprint that provides us and our dogs with the best possible chance of achieving our training goals. That involves being consistent and practising regularly, but it is also vital to recognize that we must be consistent about practising the right things. That can only come from understanding that we must learn through training what we want to implement in practice – not blindly practising, without understanding where we may be going wrong.